My beloved pick-up truck, known to many of you for its cameo role in the licensing agreement at the beginning of many of our DVDs, has been struck down in its prime at a mere twenty three years of age by some darwinianly challenged individual at a stop sign intersection. The true value of my beloved truck, being unappreciated by an uncaring insurance company, was deemed to be significantly less than the cost of repairs and so it was that yesterday I went by the repair/collision shop to collect my things and say my goodbyes.

Thanks to Ramiro, my mechanic for over 20 years, I am now in a Ford F-150 that he has serviced for several years and for which he vouches. It is bigger than I am used to, and I will have to give up my New Yorker driving style, but I am blessed to have something reliable for the amount of money I am getting from the insurance company.